The city of Louisville was chartered in 1780 and named after King Louis XVI of France. Now that 240+ years have passed, the city and its streets are chock-full of vibrant history.
It’s safe to say that over the years, the city has been touched by countless historical figures and happenings — many of which have shaped the names of Derby City’s buildings, parks, and streets. In this guide, we’re delving into the history of Louisville’s streets — specifically how they were named.
Downtown
The names of downtown streets serve an obvious function —think numbered streets — but many others have a local history behind their monikers.
Muhammad Ali Boulevard — named after “The Greatest” in 1978, who was born in Louisville’s West End. It recently got an upgrade when it was lined with banners of Ali.
Liberty Street — formerly called Green Street when it was a grassy area for horses to graze. It was named “Liberty” after World War I as a sign of patriotism.
Floyd Street — named for John Floyd, an 18th-century surveyor and pioneer. There are counties in Kentucky and Indiana named for Floyd as well.
Base Ball Alley — it led baseball fans to Eclipse Park , where Louisville’s one-time Major League Baseball team played, at 7th and Kentucky Streets.
Butchertown
It’s now home to a modern soccer stadium , but for decades Butchertown was known for its slaughterhouses. Several of the neighborhood streets are named for people you probably learned about in elementary social studies.
Washington Street — named for George Washington. Parts of the street held other names through the years, including Maiden Lane and Nelson Street. Bonus: The Vernon Lanes bowling alley on Story Avenue was named after Mount Vernon, Washington’s home.
Adams Street — named for John Adams, the second President of the United States.
Quincy Street — named for John Quincy Adams, the sixth US president.
Franklin Street — named for Benjamin Franklin, who signed the Declaration of Independence.
Some of the neighborhood’s other streets, though, were named after locally prominent landowners, civic leaders, and politicians.
Cabel Street — named for William H. Cabell , a 19th-century Virginia politician who played a role in Kentucky’s history prior to its statehood.
Story Avenue — named for John W. Story, a carpenter and civic leader who owned land in the area in the 19th century.
Campbell Street — named for John Campbell, a land owner and proprietor in Louisville’s earliest beginnings.
Cowan Street — named for Andrew Cowan , one of the founders of Louisville’s park system. He’s credited with inviting Frederick Law Olmsted to the city, eventually leading to the design of the parks system.
Blue Horse Avenue — named for Blue Horse Motors, a historic motor vehicle business from the area.
Branden Klayko Alley — named for the local urbanist who died in 2017. His blog, Broken Sidewalk , is a repository of knowledge on the City of Louisville.
Bonus: Want to hear more about the background of these Butchertown streets? Louisville historian Tom Owen led a walking tour of the area.
Portland
The Portland neighborhood is one of the oldest in the city, and it dates back to a time when it was a separate town completely. Louisville annexed Portland in 1837, so many streets in the neighborhood have since been renamed.
Portland Avenue — it was built in 1818 to connect Louisville and Portland. It was originally known as the Louisville & Portland Turnpike.
34th Street — it was originally known as Commercial Street, and was one of the busiest parts of Old Portland. The oldest known house in Louisville, the Squire Earick House , is located there.
Northwestern Parkway — part of the parkway was once called High Street, named because it was on the high bank of the Ohio River.